1. Quick Quiz
Religious Ethics

2. Aquinas
Aquinas identifies the end-directedness of nature that Aristotle recognized with
The light of nature that illumines morality
The love of nature that guides kindness
God’s purposes for human beings
God’s traits or perfections
The theistic concept of ‘entelechies’

3. Aquinas The word ‘natural’ in Natural Law refers to Human Nature
God’s Nature
Our sinful nature
Our divine nature
Nature or God’s creation

4. Aquinas The word ‘law’ in Natural Law refers to God’s commands
Man’s rules
Physical regularities
Psychic regularities
The world system

5. Aquinas
We cannot pursue the good directly, according to Aquinas, because
It is unappealing to sinners
It is obscured by concern for happiness
It is “abundant” or everywhere equally
It is “abstract” or not findable in space and time
It is God, and no one can see God

6. The Problem of Evil The problem of evil is … How can God prevent evil?
How can God permit us to do evil?
How can God exist given that evil exists?
How can God do evil?
How much evil will God allow?

7. The Problem of Evil The conclusion of the argument from evil says
No God exists
No God is good
No God is powerful
No all-good, all-powerful God exists
No all-knowing God exists

8. The Problem of Evil Why can’t God just restrain evil-doers?
Because God is not that powerful
Because God cannot look on evil, and so cannot know who does evil
Because God promised everyone, including evil people, freedom
Because then no one’s actions would be morally significant
Because restraining evil-doers is wrong

9. The Problem of Evil
The problem with claiming evil is just a lack of goodness is …
Everyone knows evil exists
Evil is necessary for moral development
Fighting evil is the whole reason for religion
‘Lack of goodness’ works just as well in the argument
It is insulting to folks who’ve experienced evil

10. The Problem of Evil
The theistic response to the fact that there are possible worlds where creatures have free will but do right all the time is:
That is not a fact
Those worlds are boring
If creatures don’t sin, why would we need God?
God can’t create those worlds, only creatures can
Freedom implies disobedience

11. The Problem of Evil
In the argument, unnecessary evils are those evils that …
Are consequences of our free choices
We can easily do without
We call ‘natural evils’, like earthquakes and tornados
Arise from mistakes and misunderstandings
The devil and his demons produce

12. The Problem of Evil
The trouble with probabilistic arguments from evil is:
All probability is subjective
We can’t establish any associations between God and evil
Probability only results in opinion, not knowledge
Probability only works in mathematics, not religion
There is no trouble; that is the argument that works

13. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
A ‘Buddha’ is someone who …
Has escaped the cycle of death and rebirth
Anyone over 50% bodyfat
Brightens the path of salvation
Overcomes contrary desires
Leads people to higher incarnations

14. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
Tri-Laksana is …
Deanna Troi’s mother
A name for the three forms of evil
A name for the three characteristics of existence
A name for the three headed goddess, Vishnu
Gautama’s mother

15. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
The five aggregates combine to form:
The physical world
The spiritual world
The empirical self
The transcendental self
Nirvana or ‘blessedness’

16. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
Asceticism, strict denial of bodily pleasures, is accepted by the Buddha because …
Pleasures arouse desires, and desires cause suffering
Pleasures cause reincarnation, which is bad
Pleasures cause laziness; salvation requires work
It isn’t accepted; the Buddha allows some bodily pleasures to maintain a clear mind
It isn’t accepted; bodily pleasures are the best guide to a good rebirth

17. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
The Noble 8 fold path is a path to …
Eliminate desire
Eliminate unhappiness
Establish virtue
Decrease existence
Increase existence

18. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
Dukkha is which characteristic of existence?
Everyone must be reborn
Suffering is universal
Everything is unsatisfying
Everyone is selfish
No one knows what to do

19. Buddhism and Buddhist Ethics
Anatta is which characteristic of existence?
Everything is in flux
Everyone is suffering
No one is real
Persons require salvation
Everyone can be reborn

20. Answers
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